Peace talks tend to generate a lot of media attention. They are seen as a human necessity since wars are costly in terms of human suffering and economic losses. Nonetheless, there are many barriers to peace talks that prevent them from being successful.
For starters, the participants at a peace talk must be ready to end their fighting. The United Nations plays an important role in conflict prevention, peacebuilding and mediation through its political missions, envoys and special representatives around the world.
Second, the timing of a peace process is important. It can only make sense for belligerents to take up negotiations when they believe that they will gain more from it than they would from continued military efforts. This is why the peace process is often initiated when a war is nearing its end.
A third factor is the issue of power dynamics. In many cases, peace negotiators have to confront power-brokers who want to maintain their leverage and control over the peacemaking process by withholding concessions or undermining the negotiations. It is critical that mediators are able to identify and isolate spoilers, while rewarding risk-takers who can envision the possibility of a peaceful solution.
Finally, there is the issue of underlying grievances that are not easily reconcilable. This is particularly the case when a war is fought over a core identity such as religion or ethnicity. For example, it may be impossible for Sudan to achieve a sustainable peace if it remains Islamic in the eyes of most Northerners or bi-national in the eyes of many Southerners.